Talking Taboos with Ore Oduba: Being addicted to porn and the societal failure behind it

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, suicide, grief, and mental health. Please listen with care.In our first episode of Talking Taboos: The Podcast, we’re joined by Ore Oduba - presenter, performer, broadcaster and change maker - to talk about the taboo of feeling addicted to porn through the lens of lived experience, vulnerability and what it means to come out the other side.Taboos aren’t just difficult topics - they are systems of silence, sustained by judgement and shame, that isolate people. And as Ore explains, porn use can become the perfect environment for that shame to thrive.In this generous and thoughtful conversation, Ore shares his own experience of being addicted to porn for over 30 years, and how isolation, and fear of judgement kept him silent for so long.We explore exposure to porn in childhood, the impact of shame, the realities of addiction hidden in plain sight, and why so many people struggle alone without the language or support to talk about it.Ore also reflects on the profound personal events that changed his perspective on life, vulnerability, and openness - including grief, suicidal thoughts, the loss of his father, and the death of his sister - and how those experiences ultimately led him to start speaking publicly about topics many people still feel unable to discuss.We explore the power of conversation in breaking shame, and why education, openness, and earlier conversations around sex, relationships, and pornography are urgently needed.If any of the experiences in this conversation have resonated with you, please know you’re not alone, there are people you can talk to and places you can turn to for support. You can call Samaritans for free on 116 123, or visit Mind at mind.org.uk for information and support.For help with feeling addicted to porn, you can find free support through:Brook - https://www.brook.org.uk/The Mix (under 25s) - https://www.themix.org.uk/Pivotal Recovery - https://www.pivotalrecovery.org/Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) UK - https://saauk.info/The Naked Truth - https://nakedtruthproject.com/